Silver, who was one of the most powerful politicians in NY for two decades, was also required to repay $5.18 million and will be fined an additional $1.75 million.
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Silver was also ordered to pay $1.75 million in fines.
Bharara, in fact, sought a sentence “greater than any sentence imposed on other New York State legislators convicted of public corruption offenses”.
While his fall from grace has been the most spectacular, Silver is only one among an expanding crew of NY state representatives caught trading their office for favours or financial gain.
Former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver leaves court surrounded by reporters in New York, Tuesday, May 3, 2016.
Steven Molo, one of Silver’s lawyers, had asked Caproni for a “sentence that tempers justice with mercy”, citing Silver’s age, health and what he described as a lifetime of good works for the people of NY.
NYC’s wilty, gray embodiment of the corrupt political machine spent his last night as a non-sentenced manstrolling the drizzly streets of the Lower East Side with his wife, Rosa Silver.
The second largest scheme involved directing two major development firms into using the law firm Goldberg and Iryami, which gave Silver $700,000 in referral fees.
“Justice was served”, Cuomo said Tuesday.
In handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni said she hoped it would serve as a general deterrent to others.
They represented two of the so-called “three men in a room” who controlled state politics.
Silver “caused unparralled damage to our political system and the public’s belief in our state government”, US attorney Carrie Cohen said in court, calling Silver’s actions the product of “pure greed”.
In an apology letter to Caproni, Silver said he “failed the people of NY”.
Silver, 72 years old, said he had let down his family, colleagues and constituents.
According to reports, Silver must report to prison by July 1.
But prosecutors said Silver deserved a sentence longer than that of any other convicted NY public official, given his leadership position and the sheer scope of his misconduct.
GOP Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin, of Troy, said: “I’m glad to see that the only back-room deals Sheldon Silver will be negotiating for the rest of his life will be trading a pair of clean socks for an extra dessert during meal time”.
Also under investigation by Mr Bharara’s office is Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo.
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A jury found Silver guilty in November of two counts of honest services wire fraud, two counts of honest services mail fraud, two counts of extortion under color of official right and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions.
